The corporate world of Apple is clouded in secrecy. But what is it like to actually work there? Popular Mechanics has an amazing article based on an interview with an apple store employee which gives us a really good insight as to what it is like to work there. It's something he describes as being somewhat like a "cult".
He admits that he hides from tech news and only watches Apple keynotes to avoid getting any information he shouldn't have. It would seem that Apple employees like to live in ignorance until Steve Jobs says otherwise to avoid getting fired, adding further fuel to the fire of speculation that describes Jobs' management style as that of a "control freak genius".
You can get into serious trouble if you speculate—especially to a customer. I am asked five times per day about the next iPad or iPhone, and I quite simply don't know. But I would be in huge trouble if I said something like "The next iPad is going to have a camera." I actually avoid the technology section of the newspaper so I have no points of view to accidentally comment with or drop into conversation. I'd rather just be dumb about it.
Some highlights from the interview include dealing with drug dealers and Chinese hagglers, selling the "impossible to sell" MobileMe, and corporate mantras such as "Apple is our soul, people are our soul" are all part of the day in the life of an Apple employee.
Attending an Apple Store interview can only be described as a surreal experience; you are cheered into the area and made to watch a video about the company, and all the while, staff are observing you to see how "enthusiastic" you are about the company. Apple products, as we all know, are held to an exceptionally high standard, working for them is definitely not for everyone and seems to be one experience that some may be fortunate to avoid.
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